Lucas responds

Gay Jewish porn star Michael Lucas has said he was "hurt and surprised" at some of the comments and reaction made by Jews to his planned visit to Israel.

The Moscow-born 34-year-old revealed last week that he would be spending time in Israel to make a documentary on the current conflict, shooting the first gay porn film and performing a live show for the gay community.

Since revealing the plans, while some people are welcoming his trip to Israel, others according to Lucas have been homophobic.

"The hateful comments from Jews were profoundly depressing," said Lucas on his blog. "We Jews were persecuted, killed and hated for thousands of years. All of our rights were always taken away and we were always considered second class citizens. I can't believe that some of us can be so intolerant, especially to gay people."

Despite some attacking his plans to visit Israel, Lucas says his trip will not be cancelled.

"Contrary to the opinions I've been reading, the Israel that I know and love is a democratic, free, fun-loving society," he added.

Lucas has also defended the porn he produces.

"Yes, I produce gay porn. But for the most part, I am just like you, proud to be Jewish, love my family, proud of Israel, and was glued to TV for the past month, worried for my people. The fact is, lots of people love and need porn. I do not harm anyone, I make them happy," he said.

The former Russian, also revealed what it was like being labelled a Jew in the former Soviet Union. "I have experienced a great deal of anti-semitism growing up in Soviet Russia. Like all Jews, I had a paragraph in my passport which read "Jewish". People called it "5th paragraph". Russians never gave me the opportunity to be one of them. Israel is my country as much as it is yours. To come to Israel is my birthright."